Book Extract: The Next Step by B R Maycock

I’m so pleased to be welcoming B R Maycock to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Next Step, book three in the Abbeyglen series.

Christmas has been all but forgotten as a negative pregnancy test makes Rachel reconsider her future with Todd. The realisation sends her to the small town of Abbeyglen where the opening of Caulfield’s Café is all anyone’s talking about. But it also has her beginning to see returning colleague at Blackwater Financial Services, the loud, hilarious Owen Larrson in a new light.

Natalie has decided she needs a change. In the midst of Christmas craziness, with the grand opening of the café and the excitement of her two children’s Christmas concert, Natalie can only hope the people of Blackwater Financial Services can help her find the job that will change her life. But as ex-boyfriend Darren returns, she realises luck might not be on her side for a bright Christmas after all 

Join two women who are trying to figure out what the rest of their lives hold, in the midst of the mayhem of the most wonderful time of the year in the most wonderful place to be!

B R Maycock has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Hi! So this is a little excerpt/ extract from The Next Step and it’s the lovely Natalie Martin, who works in The Abbeyglen Arms, who has just had a day job hunting. Hope you enjoy!!

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‘You’re late, Mammy,’ Katie said, as she walked out of the babysitter’s, gripping her mother’s hand. ‘Today was supposed to be the day you didn’t work.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve made some plans,’ Natalie said, grinning at her daughter. ‘We’re going to make paper chains and Christmas decorations for the tree.’

‘We should really start by getting a tree,’ her daughter said, giving her a look. ‘You keep telling us to make decorations but there’s nowhere to put them.’

‘Hey, keep talking to me like that and you’ll be our Christmas tree! I’ll stand you in the corner and put lights and tinsel and paper chains on you.’

Her daughter giggled. ‘You’re so silly sometimes, Mammy. So what was your day in Dublin like?’

‘As you know I was job hunting,’ Natalie said, wondering why she was telling her five-year-old this. ‘I had a great day. A lot of people were very positive and I met an old friend.’

Who could have known she would have such a day? She now had a list of office jobs she was in the running for. Outside of Blackwater Financial Services one or two companies had told her people didn’t necessarily need tons of experience for entry-level roles. Natalie nearly swooned at that. Entry level jobs were paying more than she earned at any given time from the multiple jobs she had. She heard a ping and looked at her phone.

Unknown Number: We regret to inform you that you have not been successful at Acorn Enterprises. We wish you every success in your future endeavours.

She gulped. Had she really just gotten a text message rejection on the day she’d applied? She couldn’t even remember Acorn Enterprises but she suddenly craved working there.

‘I work at Acorn Enterprises.’

‘Mammy works at Acorn Enterprises’ (the kids).

‘Their mum works at Acorn Enterprises’ (the teachers).

‘She’s not working here anymore, she just helps out at the weekend, she doesn’t really need the money, she works at Acorn Enterprises’ (Kenneth at the Abbeyglen Arms).

But then she almost laughed at herself. She wasn’t going to let one rejection knock her down. She clasped her daughter’s hand and set off for an Evening Of Fun.

*****end of extract*****

About B R Maycock –

B R Maycock is the author of laugh out loud romantic comedies. She lives in the midlands in Ireland with her four little men, kooky husband, dog Eddie and cat Shadow!

Say hello via her blog, Facebook, Amazon, X, TikTok and Instagram.

The Next Step is book three in the Abbeyglen series and was released in 2024. Click here to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones and Amazon US. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.